Condolences and burial of the deceased
Transport Minister Mr Sibusiso Ndebele has announced that the Road Accident Fund, an agency of the Department of Transport, will cover the burial costs of the two people who were killed when a bus crashed into their house in Braamfischerville, Soweto yesterday.
Minister Ndebele sends his sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased. He also conveys well wishes for the speedy recovery of the other passengers who were on board the bus when the crash happened, and the occupants of a private car that was reportedly involved in the crash.
“No amount of words can describe this tragic end to lives. It’s truly a moment of sadness for all of us. On behalf of the Department of Transport I wish to convey our sincere condolences to the family of the departed,” says Minister Ndebele.
The Minister says the Road Accident Fund will cover the burial costs of the deceased parties.
“Our agency, the RAF, has already contacted the family and will come in and ensure that the deceased are given a proper send off.This is in line with the RAF’s mandate to ensure swift assistance to victims of road crashes and thus lessen the burden on the part of the bereaved in their hour of need,” says Minister Ndebele.
Rebuilding the house and investigation
The Minister has also received an undertaking from bus company Putco that they will rebuild the part of the house that was damaged during the crash.
The Minister has called on law enforcement agencies to work swiftly in investigating the circumstances that led to this gruesome crash.
“The bus company should also institute an internal investigation to determine the cause of the crash,” says Minister Ndebele.
Visit to the family and road safety message
The Minister will visit the family of the deceased this afternoon at 14h00 (Wednesday, 28 March) to offer his condolences. He will be accompanied by the management of Putco. The Department of Transport re‑emphasises the need to exercise caution and obey all the rules of the road without exception at all times.
As part of our programme to reduce road deaths, we will focus our attention on four key areas of road safety: Wearing of seatbelts at all times, Drinking and Driving, Fatigue and Pedestrian safety.
The Minister has issued an instruction to all traffic police to test every driver of every car they inspect for alcohol levels.
For more information contact:
Tiyani Rikhotso
Cell: 083 570 1275
